Vegas Golden Knights: Three studs who stole the show against Oilers
It was a huge win on Wednesday for the Vegas Golden Knights who shutout the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 at T-Mobile Arena.
Marc-Andre Fleury was the star of the show for the Vegas Golden Knights as he stopped all 29 shots fired at him, recording the 61st shutout of his career in the process.
And the Knights needed Fleury at the top of his game given that the Oilers had absolutely dominated the first period.
They outshot the Golden Knights 12-9 in the opening 20-minutes of play, while maintaining 3:23 minutes of possession in the offensive zone.
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But Fleury absolutely stood on his head and he pulled off some stellar stops, including a stunning pad stop to absolutely rob Leon Draisaitl.
Fleury’s heroics gave the Knights the platform to try and get the job done in the offensive zone, a mission they accomplished.
Max Pacioretty ripped home his 30th goal of the year in the first period, before Nick Cousins marked his Golden Knights debut by lighting the lamp in the third period.
And the game was iced midway through the final frame when Shea Theodore hammered home a laser of a shot from the point.
This was a real statement win for the Golden Knights who are now riding a seven-game winning streak, and if they win on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres they would tie the franchise record for the longest win streak that was set between Dec. 14, 2017 to Jan. 2, 2018.
A number of players stepped up to the plate for the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, and we picked out the three studs who really caught the eye and delivered the goods.
3. Nick Cousins
What a debut for the forward who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for a 2021 Fourth-Round pick on Monday.
Despite not having a single practice with his new team after having to wait on his visa, Cousins made an immaculate first impression at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday.
Skating on the third-line with Chandler Stephenson and Nicolas Roy, Cousins buzzed around the ice all night and he certainly added a different dimension to the bottom-six.
He finished the game with one point, three shots on goal, one hit and two blocked shots in 12:09 minutes of total ice time, including 2:12 on the power play.
And Cousins capped off what was a fine debut with a goal on the man advantage in the third period, backhanding the rebound from a Alec Martinez one-timer past Mikko Koskinen.
Cousins became the sixth Golden Knight to score on their debut for the franchise this year, following in the footsteps of Cody Glass, Nicolas Roy, Chandler Stephenson, Alec Martinez and Patrick Brown.
This was an impressive game for Nick Cousins who vaulted the “first game with a new team” hurdle, providing a tantalizing glimpse of what could be to come.
The Vegas Golden Knights needed to address a lack of secondary scoring at the Trade Deadline, and they did just that, while they have acquired a player in Cousins who can do a little bit of everything and that is important.
2. Alec Martinez
A change of scenery can sometimes be beneficial for a player, and that has certainly proved to be the case for Alec Martinez.
Enduring a down year with the LA Kings, the two-time Stanley Cup Champion had just eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 41 games.
However, Martinez has been like a man reborn with the Golden Knights and, in four games for the Golden Knights, the veteran defenseman has already tallied six points (two goals, four assists).
That is just incredible.
And Martinez had himself a night against the Edmonton Oilers with two assists for a two-point game.
And, as if to further illustrate how lights out he has been since being traded, Martinez’s two helpers were the first primary assists he had recorded all year.
It is amazing what new surroundings can do for a player.
Martinez’s first helper came on Nick Cousins’ debut goal after the defenseman had let rip with a wicked one-timer, while his quick dish allowed Shea Theodore to ice the game with a deadly shot.
Alec Martinez is currently averaging 1.50 Points Per Game for the Golden Knights and, while that kind of production probably won’t continue, there is no denying that the blueliner has been a nice addition to this team.
1. Marc-Andre Fleury
Could there really have been another choice for our first Star of the Game against the Edmonton Oilers?
Put simply, no.
Because, without the heroic efforts of Marc-Andre Fleury, the Golden Knights would have been dead and buried in the first period.
With the Oilers absolutely piling on the pressure and peppering the Vegas goal with a barrage of shots, Fleury stood on his head and bailed his team out time and time again.
He absolutely robbed the red hot Leon Draisaitl with a spectacular pad save in the opening frame, and that set the tone for the rest of the night.
Fleury gave his team the best possible chance to win and they delivered, clearly inspired by the exploits of their future Hall of Famer.
And the highlight of the night came in the third period when Fleury somehow denied Connor McDavid from recording his 32nd goal of the year despite being sprawled out on the ice.
This was another dominant display from Fleury who has been lights out as of late, going 5-0-0 in his last five starts with a .942 Save Percentage and a 1.60 Goals Against Average.
Fleury moved up to 17th on the All-Time Shutout list with 61st, tying Turk Broda, while the 35-year-old leads the NHL in shutouts over the past two seasons with 13.
Next. Fleury showing why he is still the main sheriff. dark
This was a vintage Marc-Andre Fleury display and the veteran goalie is getting back to the peak of his powers at just the right time.